Eighth Annual FundraiserA Philadelphia Experience

On the evening of Saturday, November 1, 2014, the Hafter Student Center on the Elkins Park campus of Salus University stirred with excitement as guests arrived for The Eye Institute (TEI) of Salus University’s eighth annual “Looking Out for Kids” charity fundraiser.

“It was a party for Ben Franklin and the Mummers,” said Rosemary Connors, this year’s host, an NBC10 Emmy award winning news anchor and reporter. The 2014 fundraiser celebrated Philadelphia’s unique culture while fostering important community partnerships.

Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross were among the 300 attendees, while Tastykake and the legendary Philadelphia soft pretzel also made special appearances.

Over 100 silent auction items were donated, ranging from sports and theatre tickets, to an 18” snow blower, handmade wooden stools, autographed memorabilia, and a limited edition Phillies Fender® Stratocaster® guitar. “From the chocolate liberty bell candies and signature drink, the “Liberty Bellini”, to the Italian Market and Chinatown food stations, this Philadelphia-themed event has been the most exciting yet,” said a pleased attendee.

Funds raised through the “Looking Out for Kids” program help provide vision care and eyeglasses to uninsured and under-insured children in the Philadelphia area. In the 2013-2014 academic year, The Eye Institute provided vision care to nearly 800 students in the Philadelphia public school system. The Philadelphia- themed event raised over $50,000 for the “Looking Out for Kids” program, and 28 local businesses were sponsors.

“This event would not have been successful without the involvement of our sponsors and their continued commitment to helping our community,” said Alexis Abate, Director of Communications at Salus University. “The mission of our initiative is to enhance the education of generations to come, one vision screening at a time. Our intent is to grow and expand the program with each passing year, and begin to include other disciplinary areas of the University, including audiology. We’re excited to see where the program leads us in the future,” said Abate.